amine receptors and similar proteins, member of the class A family of seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptors
Amine receptors of the class A family of GPCRs include adrenoceptors, 5-HT (serotonin) receptors, muscarinic cholinergic receptors, dopamine receptors, histamine receptors, and trace amine receptors. The receptors of amine subfamily are major therapeutic targets for the treatment of neurological disorders and psychiatric diseases. All GPCRs have a common structural architecture comprising of seven-transmembrane (TM) alpha-helices interconnected by three extracellular and three intracellular loops. A general feature of GPCR signaling is agonist-induced conformational changes in the receptors, leading to activation of the heterotrimeric G proteins, which consist of the guanine nucleotide-binding G-alpha subunit and the dimeric G-beta-gamma subunits. The activated G proteins then bind to and activate numerous downstream effector proteins, which generate second messengers that mediate a broad range of cellular and physiological processes.